Georgia basketball traveled from Texas to South Carolina, aiming to strengthen its NCAA Tournament bid with a 6 p.m. game on Tuesday. The Bulldogs, riding a two-game win streak after upsets against Florida and Texas, hold a 17-11 record. Georgia previously defeated South Carolina 71-60 but recognizes the Gamecocks’ toughness at home, as they recently secured wins against notable teams. South Carolina’s standout is forward Collin Murray-Boyles, who averaged 8.4 rebounds per game and had a career-high 35 points against Arkansas. Georgia hopes for another strong performance from Silas Demary Jr. as both teams vie for postseason spots.
The Georgia basketball team flew directly from Texas to South Carolina, fully committed to making a compelling case for an NCAA Tournament spot at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs (17-11, 6-10 SEC) touched down in Columbia, South Carolina, riding a two-game winning streak after pulling off upsets against then-No. 3-ranked Florida and Texas on the road last week. UGA has two remaining SEC matchups before the conference tournament to showcase their credentials for their first March Madness appearance since 2015.
Earlier this season, Georgia secured a 71-60 victory over South Carolina in Athens, but the Gamecocks (12-17, 2-14) have proven to be formidable at home, despite their conference struggles.
South Carolina recently picked up its first two SEC victories in its last two home games, defeating fellow NCAA Tournament bubble contenders Texas and Arkansas at Colonial Life Arena.
Similar to Georgia, South Carolina narrowly missed overtime against No. 1 Auburn at home earlier this season and fell just two points short of upending Florida at home, just like the Bulldogs did last week.
Other ranked teams like Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss all managed to escape Columbia with wins by margins of five points or fewer.
The physical style of basketball that South Carolina plays is spearheaded by sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound player is coming off a career-high 35-point performance against the Razorbacks.
“His teammates do a great job of letting him be the focal point while playing off of him,” White remarked after the win against Texas. “They execute well, defend intensely, and are exceptionally solid and physical.
“It presents another significant challenge—an extremely tough venue to compete in while on the road in the SEC. South Carolina is no exception.”
Murray-Boyles also contributes to South Carolina’s physical presence on the boards, averaging 8.4 rebounds per game.
The Gamecocks rank near the bottom in nearly every offensive category in the powerful SEC, apart from free throws. Their success often comes when letting their veteran big men capitalize in the paint and earn trips to the foul line.
In their win against Arkansas, the Gamecocks shot an impressive 17 of 21 from the free-throw line and managed 34 of 45 against Texas.
Earlier this year, Georgia successfully held Murray-Boyles to 18 points and 5 rebounds, while freshman sensation Asa Newell outperformed him in the paint with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Newell, along with fellow 6-11 freshman Somto Cyril, will be tasked with containing Murray-Boyles and South Carolina’s aggressive guards in the paint. Cyril and Newell have emerged as Georgia’s top shot blockers this season, but Appalachian State transfer Justin Abson has also seen an uptick in minutes at the center position in recent games.
The Bulldogs are looking to the red-hot Silas Demary Jr. to lead the offensive charge once again. Demary has averaged over 20 points in UGA’s last six games, including a career-high 26 points on Saturday.
Earlier this year, Georgia defeated South Carolina by hitting 7 of 15 from beyond the arc, with both Demary and Dakota Leffew sinking a pair of 3-pointers in that victory.
Following a week off two weeks ago, the Bulldogs have improved their 3-point shooting percentage. Over their last three games, UGA has made 25 of 62 attempts from deep, boasting a solid 40 percent success rate.
Historically, Georgia holds a 59-64 record against South Carolina. The Bulldogs claimed victory in their last visit to Columbia, winning 74-69.